Three-star offensive lineman Zykie Helton announced his commitment to Georgia on Wednesday, over a year after de-committing from Alabama.
Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer
Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer | John David Mercer-Imagn Images
Three-star offensive lineman Zykie Helton announced his commitment to Georgia on Wednesday, over a year after de-committing from Alabama. The 6-foot-2, 290-pound interior Carrollton, Georgia, native originally committed to the Crimson Tide in the summer of 2023, a few weeks after receiving an offer from the coaching staff in Tuscaloosa.
Helton remained committed to Alabama for nine months before reopening his recruiting. While Helton kept the Tide as a finalist throughout his recruitment process and was scheduled to head to Tuscaloosa on June 20 for an official visit, Alabama’s pursuit of the three-star dwindled. Helton was pursued heavily by Florida State, taking multiple unofficial visits to Tallahassee, but after taking officials to both Georgia and Georgia Tech, he settled on the Bulldogs.
3-star offensive lineman Zykie Helton choses Georgia over Alabama, Florida State, and Georgia Tech
Helton is the 14th commit in Georgia’s 2026 class, which ranks fifth-best in the country and is headlined by five-star quarterback Jared Curtis. Kirby Smart is far ahead of Kalen DeBoer’s pace on the recruiting trail, with the latter still waiting for his seventh commit with a class that ranks No. 50 in the country, despite significant blue-chip talent.
Alabama has finally gained recruiting momentum coming out of last weekend’s official visit, which yielded the commitment of four-star offensive tackle Sam Utu and thrust the Tide into pole position for five-star safety Jireh Edwards, a top target of the Bulldogs.
Helton is a victory for Georgia over Alabama, but much more significant recruiting battles between the two SEC powerhouses have yet to be decided. From last weekend’s group of official visitors alone, the decisions for Edwards, five-star tight end Kaiden Prothro, and four-star edge rusher Khamari Brooks will likely all come down to Alabama or Georgia.
Three of Alabama’s six commits are from the state of Georgia, and the Tide are also down to a two-team race with Ohio State for the top player in the state, five-star linebacker Xavier Griffin.
The rivalry between Alabama and Georgia isn’t just waged on the field and in SEC title games. The two programs have long gone head-to-head for high school recruits, and this cycle is no different.
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